Stirring Literature: Eat Wild with Jo Robinson

When I was still one of Cynthia’s students, she brought in a guest speaker named Jo Robinson who talked to our class about the benefits of eating foods from pasture-raised animals. She told us that grass fed beef is more like skinless chicken breast when it comes to fat and like wild salmon in the amount of omega-3 fat content. Though I’d been hearing about this latest nutritional boon since starting at Bastyr, this was the first time someone had shown me the actual evidence and pointed me to the research that supports the argument for grass-fed meat, eggs and dairy.

No wonder – Jo is an investigative journalist who has spent years poring over the scientific literature to find studies that demonstrate the nutritional superiority of foods from grass-fed animals. Jo’s website, eatwild.com, links you directly to the scientific research. You can see the graphs and charts and study the evidence yourself, or just read her comprehensive synopses of the data. Jo started the site in 2001 and has been instrumental in the movement to connect us with our food. She has identified hundreds of peer-reviewed studies showing that raising animals on pasture is good for the animals, the environment, farm families, and the health of consumers.

The site features a directory of pasture-based farms so that you can hook up with farmers near you who are raising these happy, healthy animals. The directory started with only 50 listings but now lists well over 1000 producers. It’s great news for all of us that this method of raising animals is becoming more widespread! Eatwild.com also has a modest storefront where you can buy books (including Jo’s book, Pasture Perfect) and fun kitchen tools like cow-shaped pancake rings! After perusing Jo’s website you’ll see why it pays to Eat Wild – Carol